Riding-saddle



(No Model.)

F. E. DU MOULIN.

RIDING SADDLE. N0. 496,726. Patented May 2,1893.

INVENTOH ATTORNEYS.

U N ITED STATE-s PATENT Y Qrricn.

FERDINAND ERNST DU MOULIN, OF J OLIEI, ILLINOIS.

RIDING-SADDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,726, dated May 2, 1893. Application filed November 1 1892- Serial No. 450,632. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FERDINAND Ennsr 1) MOULIN, of J oliet, in the county of Will and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Riding-Saddle, of which the follow ing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in riding saddles, and has for its object to providea means whereby a saddle tree of any desired shape or construction may be conveniently and expeditiously converted for use as a ladys riding or side saddle, the knee joint horn and leaping horn, when used, being capable of location either at the right or at the left of the tree.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the saddle tree may be converted as conveniently and expeditiously into shape for use by a man, or to be ridden straddle, the frontispiece of the saddle, when used in the latter mannerbeing capable of difierent shapes, as, for example, a cap slide of any approved formation may be removably placed at the front of the saddle, or the cap slide may be removed and replaced by a horn of whatever shape fancy may dictate.

A further object of theinvention is to construct a saddle in which the seat may be lengthened or shortened to accommodate persons of different physical characteristics, when the saddle is in shape as a side saddle or is designed for ladies use.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the. several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

' Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a saddle tree illustrating the fork attached thereto and upon which the fixtures are to be mounted. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the fork to be attached to the saddle tree. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the saddle tree-fitted for ladies use, and illustrating the knee joint horn upon the left-hand side of the tree, and also illustrating the application to the saddle of an adjustable leaping horn. Fig. 4

is a perspective view of the saddle tree, illustrating the leaping horn and the knee joint horn located at the right-hand side of the tree. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the tree and a side elevation of the knee joint horn, the leaping horn and the fork, the attachments being removed from the tree. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a saddle tree, illustrating a cap slide thereon, the tree being adapted for straddle riding. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an attached horn of the Mexican type. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the fork viewed from the top. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective View of the knee and leaping horns; and Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the knee joint of the knee horn.

The saddle tree A, may be of any approved type, and at the forward end of the tree, upon the upper portion thereof, a fork B, is located. This fork is shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 8, and it maybe constructedof anysuitable or approved material; preferably, however, metal is ordinarily used in its manufacture. The fork comprises a body 12, horizontally located, which body is adapted as a slide, and preferably the body is made rectangular in general contour, and in cross section is somewhat dove-tailed in shape. The formation of the fork is completed by projecting downwardly and outwardly from the sides of the body skirts 13, the skirts being preferably bifurcated, as shown, and one of the members is made shorterthan the other, the members of the skirts being also provided with apertures let through which the fastening devices are to be passed. I, however, desire it to be understood that the skirts may be of any desired formation, and further that they may consti tute an integral portion of the body of the fork, or they may be attached thereto.

The fork is adapted as a permanent fixture upon the saddle tree, the skirts extending downward at the sides of the tree, and the attachment between the tree and the fork is usually efiected by means of screws, rivets or equivalent fastening devices. The saddle tree may be entirely covered, and likewise the skirts of the fork, with any approved material, or in any manner that fancy may dictate, but the body or slide portion of the fork is left. exposed.

When the saddle is to be used for straddle riding a horn 13, of what is known as the Mexican type, shown in Fig. 7, maybe attached to the front of the saddle tree, or a cap slide 14, shown in Fig. 6 may be employed, the said cap slide being either plain or ornamental, and it is adapted as a finish for the saddle tree and is also adapted to hide the slide of the fork. WVhether a horn 13 or its equivalent, or a cap slide is employed, the mannerof attachment to the saddletree is the same, as in the bottom of the cap slide or horn a slot 15, is produced, which corresponds in cross sectional shape to the corresponding contour of the body slide of the fork, and the horn 13 or the cap slide is slid over and upon the body slide of the fork B, and is prevented from slipping in any suitable or approved manner; preferably, however, the retention of the fork or cap slide is effected by passing a set screw through the cap slide or the horn E0 eltin engagement with the body slide of the When the saddle is to be used by ladies, or as a side saddle, a knee joint horn C, is employed, and whenever desirable a leaping horn may also be used. The body 16 of the knee joint horn is of the usual semi-circular shape, and the body is ordinarily provided upon its under face at ornear itscenter with a channel or recess 17, corresponding in cross sectional shape to the equivalent cross sec tional contour of the body slide of the fork B, as the knee joint horn is adapted for attachment to the saddle tree through the me- The body of the knee dium of the said fork. joint horn is also provided at one side of the recess or channel 17 with an arm 18, projected upward from its side surface, as shown best in Fig. 9, and this arm is preferably of a semi-circular or segmental form, and is provided with one or more openings 19, prefer ably four, semi-circularly arranged, the walls of the openings being threaded. The knee joint horn is located upon the saddle by causing the body slide 12 of the fork to enter the channel 1'7 of the horn, at which time the straighter portion of the horn will be upright and the decidedly curved portion horizontal, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and the apertured arm 18, will rest over one skirt of the fork B. It is evident that the saddle tree may be ridden either from the left or the right-hand side, as the knee joint horn may be thrown in direction of either side of the tree. In Fig. 3 the horn is shown at theleft-hand side, while in Fig. 4 it is illustrated at the right-hand side. Any approved means may be employed for holding the knee joint horn fixedly to the fork 13; preferably, however, aclamp ora set screw 20, is used for that purpose.

The leaping horn D, is of the usual construction, and its shank is threaded and may be entered into any of the apertures 19 in the segmental arm of the knee joint horn. As four apertures are made in this arm it is evident that the leaping horn may be adjusted upon the arm to suit the occupant of the saddle. The seat of the saddle may be lengthened or shortened by sliding the knee joint horn either to or from the forward end of the saddle fork B; and by this means a comfortable seat may be provided for either an exceedingly large, or a small person, and the adjustment may be expeditiously and conveniently eifected.

Whenever it is desired to change the saddle from a straddle to a side saddle for any purpose, for example in order to rest the rider on a long journey, such change may be readily accomplished without the rider dismounting from the saddle.

Any material that in practice may be found desirable may be employed in the construction of any of the fixtures herein named or illustrated; and furthermore, I desire it to be understood that the slide represented by the body 12 of the fork B may constitute a portion of one of the fixtures, and the channel produced in the fixtures mayin that event be formed in the saddle tree.

Having thus described. my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An attachment forriding saddles, comprising a fork, a knee horn detachably and adj ustably secured to the fork and. provided with an arm, and a leaping horn detachably secured to the arm of the knee horn, substantially as described.

2. An attachment for riding saddles, comprisinga fork having a dovetail body, a knee horn havinga dovetail groove to receive the body and provided with an arm, means for locking the knee horn in position on the body and a leaping horn adjustably secured to the arm of the knee horn, substantially as described.

3. An attachment for riding saddles, comprising a fork having a dovetail -body,a knee horn provided with a dovetail groove to receive the said body and with an arm having screw threaded apertures, and a leaping horn having a screw threaded shank to enter one of the apertures of the arm, substantially as described.

FERDINAND ERNST DU MOULIN.

Witnesses:

J. H. LAWLOR, LoUIs PETTY. 

